Game apparatus



Sept. l7, 1935. c. K. sTRlcKLER E11-VAI. 2,014,78

GAME APPARATUS Filed May 25, 195s Patented Sept. 17, 1935 PATENT GAME APPARATUS Charles K. Strickler and John C. Randall, Columbus, Ohio Application May 23, 1933, Serial No. 672,456

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in game apparatus, and has for its primary object the provision of an improved frame so formed that it may be placed on the floor, lawn, court 5. or other reasonably smooth and readily available playing surface in order to provide features of playing closely approximating those which obtain from the use of standard pocket billiard tables.

10 Other objects of the invention reside in providing a frame with features of construction by means of which the component partsV thereof may be quickly assembled or disassembled for convenience in placing the frame structure into 15' :its operative form or in storing the same away when not in use; in forming the frame structure to include end and side pocket members which are adapted to rest flatly on the playing surface and which are formed to support and 20 secure in connection therewith the detachable and cushioned rails of the frame; to provide the pocket members with pivoted detents which opv erate to readily admit of the passage of a ball from the playing surface into a given pocket'and 25 yet to positively retain the ball in that pocket after it has entered the same; to provide an improved cue support or bridge which is adapted to be held by a player during the use of a cue in striking the ball, and wherein the cue is pro- 30-:f-vided with a .pivoted handle permitting it to be supported while the player is standing in a somewhat erect position, and wherein the cue support involves means for positively gripping the cue and applying friction thereto to assist 35 in the aiming of the cu-e and prevent unsteadiness thereof durng the operation of sighting and striking the ball, and certain other objects which will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

40 In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved game apparatus comprising the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through one of the ball-receiving pockets of the frame of the apparatus on the plane indicated by the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical sectional View disclosing the pin and socket connections for uniting the cushioned rails of the frame with the .pocket members, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail transverse sectional view tak- 55 en through one of the cushioned rails;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation lof the cue support or bridge;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View taken through the forward portion of the cue support.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 5 the numeral l designates generally the frame structure of the game. This frame structure comprises a plurality of rails 2 adapted to be assembled in rectangular order, substantially in the form of the rails of an ordinary billiard ta- 10 ble. The rails 2 may be constructed from any suitable material and have their inner surfaces provided with rubber or other suitable longitudinally extending cushions 3. In retaining the rails in their operative order, a plurality of metallic pocket members 4 are employed. These members are of somewhat circular form and include wide base anges 5 which terminate at their inner ends in upstanding vertical flanges 6.

To provide for the ready assembly of the frame parts, the base flanges 5 terminate in outwardly directed extensions 'i which carry upstanding pins 8, the latter being adapted to be received Within sockets 9 formed in the ends of the rails 2. Usually, these sockets are reenforced to minimize wear or looseness by means of metallic liners Hl, inserted and tightly secured in the socketed openings formed in the wooden rails 2. By this construction, it will be seen that the rails may be readily united with the pocket members by merely inserting the pins 8 into the sockets 9. This avoids the use of screws or other threaded nuts or fasteners which are apt to be lost or to become out of order. Likewise, convenience is to be obtained in the collapsing of the frame structure when it is dsired to store the same in compact form. The pocket members, as customary in billiard tables, are located at the four corners of the assembled frame structure and in the center of the longitudinally extending side rails. The frame thus forme-d is adapted to be placed on the ground, iioor surface or the like, and the usual number of playing balls Il are placed on the surface Within the confines of the frame.

Since the game is played on the iioor or on the ground, instead of on an elevated table, it has been found advisable to employ a cue support or bridge i2 in which the manually operated cue I3 is received during the playing of all shots. 50 Usually, the player assumes a standing position during the playing of the game and holds the handle I4 of the bridge I2 in the left hand while operating the cue I3 with the right hand. To admit of this, the bridge is formed to include i the base I6.

at its forward end a head I5 comprising a triangular base I6, which is adapted to be rested on the playing surface as disclosed in Fig. 1. The upper portion of the head I5 is formed to include a plurality of vertically spaced cue receiving openings II, and the back of the head is formed with ears I8 pierced for the reception of a. pin I9 which forms a vertical pivot for a socket member 20 in which the forward end of the handle I4 is secured. By this construction, the triangular base of the bridge may be supported on the ground and the head retained in a substantially erect position by the use of the handle I4, while the pivotal connection I9- permits the handle to be moved to such positions that it will not interfere with the desiredv freedom of movement of the cue, which is adapted to be supported and reciprocated by and in the openings II.

In order to provide for steadiness of cue operation, the head I5 may have mounted thereon a sliding plate 2|. This plate, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, is formed with elongated slots 22 for the reception of headed screws 23, the latter being carried by the head I5 in order to effect the slidable support of the plate 2l: in connection therewith. The plate 2iI is .also formed with openings 24 disposed in approximate registration. with the openings IT of the head. The

jlower end of the plate has connected therewith a coil spring 25, which normally tends to pull the plate downwardly to the fullest extent permitted by the movement limiting screws 23, the lower end of the spring 25 being connected with rl-hus when the cue I3 is inserted in a pair of registering openings il and 'Miof the bridge, the spring 25 together with the plate 2I serves to impart lan element of friction on the cue and to overcome unsteadiness in the use of the cue, enabling the latter to strike the cue ball at a desired point with greater surety and with lessV likelihood of delivering a glancing blow thereto commonly known as scratching,

To prevent a ball after rolling into one of the pocket members from accidentally coming out,

and to avoid the necessity for digging pits or pockets into the playing surface, and/ or elevating the game apparatus, each of the pocket members have been provided with a pivoted trip or detent 1 by which the balls may readily enter the restricted open side of av pocket but will be prevented irom coming out of the same. This may be particularly accomplished by providing. each of the pocket members, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2, with an overhanging bracket 26 which is riveted or otherwise secured as at 2'I to the vertical iiange 6. The outer or overhanging end of each bracket 26 carries a detent 28, which is pivoted as at 29 to the bracket. The 5 detent includes a pair of angularly related legs, one of which normally assumes a, depending position in the path of a ball entering the pocket, While the other normally engages with the upper surface of the bracket 26. By this arrangement, a ball striking the depending leg will cause the latter to rock about its pivot to substantially the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. This however does not interfere with the rolling of the ball into a given pocket. If there is any l5 rebound ofthe ball after the latter enters the pocket, the depending leg of the detent will be encountered thereby which will arrest movement of the ball, since the detent can swing in but one direction .about its pivot. By the use of the apparatus described, a. game closely approximating that of ordinary pocket billiards, as played on an elevated table, may be carried out with the game apparatus resting on a oor, court or lawn. Moreover, the game may be played with a standard billiard cue instead of using odd shaped ball striking members as proposed in the prior art. The construction of the frame is such that it may be readily placed on the ground or floor surface without requiring any 30? alteration, marring or changing of the surface to render it adaptable to a game apparatus. Again, the frame structure may be'readily assembledv or collapsed at will,

What isclaimed is:

A` lawn billiard game comprising a plurality of cushioned rails, each end of each of said rails being. provided. with a plurality of sockets, curved. flanged pocket membersnarranged to rest directly upon. the. ground. or other playing surface, said 4I) members being formed perfectly smooth andv flat on their under side, a plurality of upwardly extending pinsformed in connection with the ends i of said pocket members for positioning within l the sockets in said rails, a bracket member carv ried by each of said pocket members .arranged to over-hang the open sideV thereof, and a single ball. retaining detent pivotally carried' by each ofsaid brackets, said detent ends having a. finger formedI therewith to engage the upper side of 50' said brackets to prevent swinging movement away from said pocket.

CHARLESK. STRICKLER. JOHN C. RANDALL. 

